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The UK’s major Dive Show was held at the National Exhibition Center, Birmingham last weekend. It attracted many people from around the UK and, as always, large numbers of underwater image makers attended, along with equipment suppliers and travel operators. Wetpixel was on hand to give the community a flavor of the event.

Adobe released significant changes to their offerings for photographers at their MAX convention last week. The popular Lightroom workflow tool has been significantly updated and a new version launched that is designed to offer cloud based access to the image library. To add to the confusion, the existing Lightroom app is now known as Lightroom Classic CC, while the new app inherits the name Lightroom CC. To try and add some clarity, Wetpixel adds a guide for underwater photographers, explaining the new apps and features and giving some ideas on workflow and possible issues.

Scientists have successfully located, captured, and transported a Vaquita porpoise into captivity in a bid to save the extremely endangered species. The mission was conducted by scientists with the VaquitaCPR conservation project as well as Mexico’s Secretary of the Environment Rafael Pacchiano. The rescue was performed during the second week of the bold plan to rescue the Vaquita porpoise from extinction by the Mexican government. The Vaquita is the most endangered marine mammal in the world and it is estimated that only 30 individuals remain in existence.

Scientists have observed an interested behavior in Australian humpback dolphins, the males present “gifts” to females during courtship. The gifts are primarily sponges, ornate ones, that they often toss to prospective mates. The behavior was observed on 17 separate occasions in 5 separate dolphin pods. The study was conducted over the course of ten years.

No DEMA show would be complete without the infamous Wetpixel/DPG Underwater Imaging party. Apart from being indisputably the best party at the show, it is probably the biggest gathering of underwater image makers on the planet. For 2017, it will be held on the poolside at the Rosen Centre, Orlando on Thursday 2 November, starting at 8pm.

As reported on Wetpixel earlier, the results of the 2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPOTY) contest were announced earlier this week. Whilst the winners represent an amazing body of work many of the finalists in each category are stunning. What follows is a showcase of underwater imagery from WPOTY 2017 along with photographer-submitted detailed captions about each picture and how they were captured.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year announced the winners of the 2017 contest at a gala ceremony in London’s Natural History Museum last Tuesday. Wetpixel has showcased the winning images that have marine themes, along with the photographer’s description of how the images were captured. The 2018 (#WPY54) contest opens for entries on Monday 23 October.

In anticipation of the release of Blue Planet II later this month, new photographs have been revealed showing key scenes of the upcoming series. Sir David Attenborough was also available for a Q & A about the filming of the series, in which he pressed the importance of cleaning up ocean plastic. The sequel series comes 15 years after the original was released and is the result of over 1,000 hours of filming underwater.